Trump’s approval sinks amid unpopular war, darkening GOP prospects

[NEW YORK] Most voters think President Donald Trump made the wrong decision to go to war with Iran, a New York Times/Siena poll found, leaving the Republican Party on rocky political footing heading into the midterm elections as his approval rating sinks and economic concerns rise.

Majority of voters said the war was not worth the costs and held deeply pessimistic views about the economy.

Trump’s approval rating – a key historical predictor of how a president’s party will fare in an election – has sunk to a second-term low in Times/Siena polls of 37 per cent amid the deeply unpopular Middle East conflict.

Nearly two-thirds of voters said that going to war had been the wrong decision, including almost three-quarters of politically crucial independents. Less than a quarter of all voters thought the conflict had been worth the costs.

Republicans broadly approved of Trump’s job performance and the war. But most other voters showed serious scepticism of his leadership on other top issues, including the economy and the cost of living. 64 per cent of all voters disapproved of his handling of the economy, long a strength for him, and majorities expressed negative views of how he was managing the cost of living, immigration and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Independent voters in particular have become unhappier with Trump. 69 per cent disapproved of his job performance, up from 62 per cent in a January Times/Siena poll. 47 per cent of independents said his policies had hurt them, up from 41 per cent in fall 2025.

Overall, 44 per cent of voters said Trump’s policies had hurt them personally, up from 36 per cent in the fall.

“He’s not doing what he said he was going to do,” said Brent Klein Jr, a Republican who voted for Trump in 2020 and 2024. “That’s my biggest frustration with him.”

Republican leaders still have some electoral advantages. The party has gained a structural edge on the House map through its push to redraw congressional maps in red states, netting the GOP an edge of roughly 6 to 10 newly favourable districts.

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And while the political environment has worsened for the president and his party, Democrats have yet to convince voters that they offer a compelling alternative. The poll indicated that Democrats have not improved their political brand, even after more than a year of trying to demonstrate that they understand the concerns of voters and can stand up to Trump.

Just 26 per cent of voters said they were satisfied with the Democratic Party.

The discontent includes a significant number of Democrats who expressed reservations about their own party. 44 per cent of Democrats described themselves as unsatisfied, while just 23 per cent of Republicans said the same about their party. NYTIMES